Chapter 8: Varieties of American Nationalism

Chapter Summary After the War of 1812 a new spirit of nationalism and expansion was evident, and the nation, led by a president determined to heal old wounds, embarked on an “era of good feelings-party and sectional divisions forgotten. This spirit of unity did not last. The 1820s and the 1830s were highlighted by two forces, one divisive and the other unifying. The first appeared during the Missouri debates and brought the issue of slavery and its expansion to the forefront. The immediate question-which section would control the Senate-was dealt with through the Missouri Compromise, but the underlying problem was more difficult to resolve. What the debates revealed was that some of the nation saw the addition of slave states as a threat. Southern politicians (and many of their northern counterparts) had come to equate the expansion of slavery with the expansion of a southern political power. Countering this sectionalism was the growing spirit of nationalism and the emergence of two parties-both with a national following. These developments seemed to overshadow sectional concerns, and with the election of Andrew Jackson, one of the most popular political figures since George Washington, the nation seemed more concerned with unity than division. How long this was to last was another question.

Objectives A thorough study of Chapter 8 should enable the student to understand

1. The effects of the War of 1812 on banking, shipping, farming, industry, and transportation. 2. The “era of good feelings” as a transitional period. 3. The causes of the Panic of 1819, and the effects of the subsequent depression on politics and the economy. 4. The arguments advanced by North and South during the debates over the admission of Missouri, and how they were to influence sectional attitudes. 5. The ways in which the status of the federal judiciary was changed by the Marshall Court, and how the court’s decisions altered the relationships between the federal government and the states and the federal government and business. 6. The reasons President James Monroe announced his “doctrine” in 1823, and its impact on international relations at the time. 7. Presidential politics in the “era of good feelings,” and how they altered the political system. 8. The frustrations experienced by John Quincy Adams during his term as president. 9. The reasons Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828, and the significance of his victory.

Main Themes 1. How postwar expansion shaped the nation during the “era of good feelings.” 2. How it was that sectionalism and nationalism could exist at the same time and in the same country. 3. How the “era of good feelings” came to an end and a new, two-party system emerged.

Points for Discussion 1. Analyze the economic and political consequences of the War of 1812. How and why did the war stimulate American nationalism and expansion? 2. When and what was the “era of good feelings”? Why was it so short-lived? 3. Explain the roles of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson in the acquisition of Florida. Why would Jackson’s actions here and in the War of 1812 make him a hero in the West? 4. What sectional crisis threatened to destroy the unity of the United States during the so-called era of good feelings? Was the issue resolved or merely postponed? 5. Although they were dead as a national party, the Federalists, and their political philosophy, continued to influence American politics. Explain how the Federalists were able to continue to make their presence known, what they hoped to accomplish, and how the years of Hamilton reappeared, in slightly altered form, under the National Republican banner. 6. Analyze the career of John Marshall and his contributions to the rise of nationalism during this era? In what specific areas did he increase the power of the national government? Of the two political parties, which seemed most likely to support Marshall? Why? 7. Analyze the background, purposes, and impact of the Monroe Doctrine. 8. Why did John Quincy Adams win the election of 1824 and lose the election of 1828? What factors contributed to the revival of partisan divisions among Americans by the late 1820s? 9. Nationalism was a unifying factor in the 1820s. How did this nationalism, which was so evident in domestic affairs, influence foreign policy? What were the effects of nationalism of American foreign policy during this period, and what forces, if any, tended to negate its influence?

Interpretative Questions Based on Maps and Text 1. What migration and settlement patters helped determine that Missouri would want to enter the Union as a slave state? 2. What impact did the manner in which states were previously admitted to the Union have on the ruction to the admission of Missouri? 3. Why would the South accept the Missouri Compromise? What does this tell you about the nature of the plantation system and attitudes toward the institution of slavery and its ability to expand? 4. What potential existed (as a result of the Missouri Compromise) for an eventual upsetting of the balance between slave and free states? Which section seemed to gain the most from this? 5. How did the Missouri Compromise reflect the tensions between political parties at the time, especially tensions that were the result of the expansion of the nation? 6. Note the states and regions that voted for Jackson and those that voted for Adams in 1828. How do these voting patterns reflect the pre-“era of good feelings” political divisions? What is new about this? 7. Why did Jackson appeal to those who supported him? Consider the various interests associated with the states and regions that supported Jacksons then explain his broad appeal. 8. Why was Jackson unable to carry the states and regions that voted for Adams? Consider the various interests associated with the states and regions that supported Adams; then explain why they voted for him.

Essay Questions

1. What impact did the War of 1812 have on America’s westward movement, and what demands did this postwar movement put on the government?

2. How did the knowledge of the geography of the West in the 1820s help make the Missouri Compromise possible? What does this indicated about American attitudes toward the natural limits of slavery and the plantation system?

3. “Andrew Jackson was the “President of the Common Man.” Assess the validity of this statement and look at the states and regions that supported Jackson, and the factors that led to this idea.